NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERISTY

TM - Textile Technology Management Courses

TTM 501 Textile Enterprise Integration 3.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing, Background in textile manufacturing.

Discussion of philosophy, strategy and technology of enterprise integration for textile

manufacturing. Survey of enabling technologies such as computer-aided design; computer-aided
manufacturing; material handling systems; information systems for control, supervision and
planning; and internet resources.

TTM 510 Apparel Technology Management 3.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or PBS status.

Role of the apparel complex in manufacturing and supplying products on demand to meet the
quality and performance of the global customer. The critical juxtaposition of the textile supply
together with retail demand studied to understand constraintson manufacturing capacities and
elasticities.

TTM 515 Apparel Production 3.

Concepts and practices for the production of apparel items, beginning with development of basic
fit blocks and extending through the reation of stylized garments using pattern engineering
techniques, supported by computerized pattern development.

TTM 517 Advanced Computer-Aided-Design for Fashion 3.

Exploration of industry design software for apparel and other sewn products. U4ia visual design
software, 3D to 2D pattern generation software, Gerber Accumark or Lectra pattern design
programs, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, and other programs used by the industry to create,
market and/or visualize products will be taught. Peripheral equipment essential to the design and
visualization process will be included.

TTM 530 Textile Quality and Process Control 3.

Prerequisite: TT 420, Corequisite: ST 511 or ST 515.

Quality control and improvement methods for textile processes and products including quality
systems, statistical control chart procedures, process capabilities, acceptance sampling plans,
textiles process and product designs, on-line and off-line control systems and specific quality
factors governing textile products and processes and their variabilities.

TTM 533 Lean Six Sigma Quality 3.

Prerequisite: ST 361 and ST 371, or equivalent.
Systematic approach (Lean Six Sigma philosophy) for improving products and processes.
Defining the improvement opportunity, measurement system analysis, data collection, statistical
analysis, design of experiment (DOE) methods, and statistical process control (SPC) methods.
Application of Lean Six sigma methods to improve product or process.

TTM 535 Research Methods and Management 3.

Prerequisite: ST 361, Graduate standing.

Basic principles and methods of academic and industrial research, research ethics, search of
knowledge bases, research hypothesis, scientific paradigm, theory development, optimal research
design and execution of scientific experiments, regression methods, survey design, use of
variance components for samping scheme, model building and validation, principles of industrial
R&D, project design and management, intellectual property rights, and maximization of research
output.

TTM 561 Strategic Technology Management in the Textile Complex 3.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or PBS status.

Management approaches and strategies for forecasting, planning, creating, and implementing
technology changes in textile industry complex undergoing rapid market place and global
competitive changes.

TTM 573 Management of Textile Product Development 3.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

The course focuses on an integrated approach to new product design, development and
marketing of textile products. This integrated approach includes a) innovation strategy and
opportunity identification, b) the design process for textile products, c) market launch, and d)
managing innovation. The course include diverse textile end-uses, including apparel, home
textiles, transportation textiles, and medical textiles. Trends in textile product development are
reviewed. The dynamics of business analysis and strategy, design prototypes, and product
analysis and recommendation are analyzed.

TTM 579 Textile Design Collection Studio 6.

Prerequisite: FTD 374, FTD 475, FTD 476.

Execution of creative projects addressing textile design problems through synthesis of

background research and investigation, and knowledge from previous courses; preparation of
work for portfolio, juried exhibition and participation in industry based competitions.
Professional textile design practices including advanced portfolio development concepts and
presentation, development of textile collections for specified end uses with emphasis on ideation,
refinement and design development, and visual communication. FTD-TD ABM and TATM
graduate students only.

TTM 581 Global Textile and Apparel Business Dynamics 3.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or PBS status.
An overview of the economic, competitive, tchnological and market dynamics of the
international textile and apparel industries. Trends in demand, output and trade are reviewed. The
dynamic forces shaping and transforming the industry internationally are analyzed. Patterns of
change at the global, regional, national and company level are explained and the outlook for the
industries is considered.

TTM 582 Global Textile Brand Management and Marketing 3.

The course provides an understanding of the global textile brand management and marketing
environments, global markets, and marketing programs and organizations. Specific topics
include a) the economic, social, political/legal, and cultural environments; b) global textile
market opportunities and challenges; c) global textile and apparel marketing strategies, and d)
creation and management of global textile and apparel marketing programs. Credit will not be
allowed for both TAM 482 and TAM 582. Graduate standing.

TTM 583 Strategic Planning for Textile Firms 3.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

Elements of competitive strategy and planning methods within the textile complex with emphasis
on the concepts of strategy in a mature industry, defining business in a global industry, resource
allocation through strategic planning methods and implementing strategy in a single business and
multi-business firms.

TTM 585 Market Research In Textiles 3.

Prerequisite: TAM (EC) 482.

A study and analysis of quantitative methods employed in market research in the textile industry.
Function of market research and its proper orientation to management and decision making.

TTM 587 Advanced Fashion Collection Studio 6.

P: FTM 315,317, and 318 or FTD215, 216, and 321.

Graduate level fashion product design. Design and production of a "collection" using various
methods of generating patterns for garments, such as flat pattern, draping CAD design
techniques. Relationship of body configuration and fabrication to garment design. Emphasis on
ideation, creativity, communication, fit quality and exhibition of a fashion collection. Work
culminates in a fashion show or static exhibition. Restricted to TATM majors.

TTM 588 Global Perspectives in Textiles Supply Chain Management 3.

Study and analysis of global textile supply chains. Field trips to textile related companies and
organizations are required. Students will conduct a research project on global supply chain
issues. Course taught off campus for non US global perspectives. Students may not take this
course more than once for the same global perspective.
TTM 591 Special Studies in Textile Technology Management 1-4.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or PBS status.

Special Studies in Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management to fulfill needs not covered
by current offerings. Student and faculty required to submit topics to be covered to director of
graduate programs within first week of semester.

TTM 601 Seminar 1.

Discussion of scientific articles of interest to the textile industry; review and discussion of
student papers and research problems.

TTM 630 Independent Study in Textile Technology Management 1-3.

Problems of specific interest in textile and apparel technology. Preparation of report, in a format
suitable for publication required. One-page outline signed by advisor must be submitted within
first week of semester.

TTM 632 Special Studies in Textile Product Development 1-6.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or PBS status.

Preq: Graduate standing or PBS student. This course is an Independent Study in Textile Product
Development to fulfill needs not covered by current course offerings. Student and faculty are
required to submit the topic to be covered to the graduate administrator within the first week of
the semester. Either a paper or a presentation of a body of work will be the outcome of this
effort.

TTM 693 Master's Supervised Research 1-9.

Prerequisite: Master's student.

Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate Faculty.

TTM 695 Master's Thesis Research 1-9.

Prerequisite: Master's student.

Thesis research.

TTM 696 Summer Thesis Research 1.

Prerequisite: Master's student.

For graduate students whose programs of work specify no formal course work during a summer
session and who will be devoting full time to thesis research.

TTM 761 Supply Chain Management and Information Technology 3.

R: Graduate Students Only.
Working knowledge of management concepts and information technologies to design and
manage supply chain operations in textile complex. Deals with markets and operations
distributed geographically and institutionally.

TTM 791 Advanced Special Studies in Textile Technology Management 1-4.

Prerequisite: Doctoral Student.

Advanced Special Studies in Textile Technology Management to fulfill needs not covered by
current offerings. Students and faculty are required to submit topics to be covered to the graduate
administrator before the start of semester.

TTM 801 Seminar 1.

TTM 830 Independent Study 1-3.

TTM 876 Special Project TTM 1-3.

TTM 885 Doctoral Supervised Teaching 1-3.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student.

Teaching experience under the mentorship of faculty who assist the student in planning for the
teaching assignment, observe and provide feedback to the student during the teaching
assignment, and evaluate the student upon completion of the assignment.

TTM 890 Doctoral Preliminary Examination 1-9.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student.

For students who are preparing for and taking written and/or oral preliminary exams.

TTM 893 Doctoral Supervised Research 1-9.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student.

Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate Faculty.

TTM 895 Doctoral Dissertation Research 1-9.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student.

Dissertation research.

TTM 896 Summer Dissertation Research 1.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student.

For graduate students whose programs of work specify no formal course work during a summer
session and who will be devoting full time to thesis research.
TTM 899 Doctoral Dissertation Preparation 1-9.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student.

For students who have completed all credit hour, full-time enrollment, preliminary examination,
and residency requirements for the doctoral degree and are writing and defending their
dissertations.

Technology Management in Textile and RMG Industry

November 23, 2017

Maeen Md. Khairul Akter

Managing Editor, Textile Focus

The hype regarding the 50 billion issue of textile and RMG industry of our country is evident
everywhere. Probably Bangladesh will eventually reach the cherished 50 billion mark by 2021,
but only numbers cannot secure a sustainable future for the industry. Rather, the industry needs
to strengthen its technological fundamentals to remain competitive and profitable. More and
more, non-wage factors are driving purchasing and sourcing decisions among European and
United States apparel companies. These determinants include capacity, product quality,
workforce competency, production efficiency and labour compliance. Efforts to increase the
capacity and product quality can be recognized in the contemporary factories but determination
for improvement in workforce competency and production efficiency is lacking. Skills,
techniques, appropriate machineries, proper information and the right network- all are intrinsic
components of technology that must be developed for the sustained growth and wealth creation
by the textile and RMG industry. Only increasing capacity increases flow of currency but
technological development is what makes an industry rich. Though it’s an overwhelming issue
for the industry, but without a proper roadmap it becomes impossible to manage the
technological fundamentals of the industry.

‘Wages and productivity in the garment sector in Asia and the Pacific and the Arab States’, ILO
Report.

Technology and its components

In many cases it can be marked that the knowledge of industry stake holders about the term
‘technology’ is incomplete. Only modern machineries is not what technology is all about. There
are four components of technology that needs to be considered to comprehend the technological
fundamentals of an industry.
As it is described in the table below the four components of technology are the technware,
humanware, infoware and orgaware. It is very important to consider all the components when
considering a particular technology. It’s a common scenario in our country especially in the
textile industries where the stake-holders do not have proper knowledge on the proper
characterization of a technology. As a result technologies are being introduced to the industry are
not completely appropriate in some cases or the technologies are not utilized completely.
Knowledge about the capacity of an industry to adopt a particular industry is as important as the
knowledge about the technology itself.

Technology Characterization in Textile and RMG

An effective technological development requires development of all the four components of

technology starting from the technoware to the skills required to operate it and the information &
organizational set-up for the smooth functioning of the technology. A typical characterization in
that sense can be depicted as followed.
The characterization of two different technology shows that they need different inputs for
different results. A technology can be strengthened by hiring more competent workers
(improving the humanware) or by hiring an experienced manager (improving the infoware). So
development can be brought in different forms in different stages. This implies the importance of
development need of any technology. Factory managers must have a clear understanding of the
potential of the existing technology and a clear concept about the development requirement. That
means the technology fundamental of any industry needs a complete management system for
continual development.
Technology Management in Textile and RMG

A huge technological reformation is going on in the global textile world and the industries are
moving towards a more productive and environment friendly solution. Bangladesh is one of the
most important global players of textiles and apparel, and huge numbers of industries here are
still unaware or reluctant to explore the new productive and eco-friendly technologies.

Bangladesh is a net technology importer as the capacity for indigenous technology creation is
next to zero; especially when textile and RMG is in concern. This makes the multi-billion export
industry completely reliant on foreign technology. Hence, technology management in the textile
industries becomes a very important issue. But unfortunately, technology has not been officially
recognized as a major factor of production in the industries. There is no dedicated department in
the industries to look-over the technology fundamentals. Though the functional managers do
take-care of their respective departmental technologies but a central effort to improve or develop
the technology as a whole is not there.

On the other hand big multi-national companies emphasize on the issue very seriously and we
often see technology managers who are dedicatedly responsible to look after the technology
fundamentals of the companies.

The trend is not easy to start in the textile and RMG companies overnight but there must be a
committee at least consisting members from different departments to look after the technology of
the company. For that the fundamental knowledge on technology management is a must for the
committee members.

Technology management process starts with a need assessment. Because, the need for different
industries must be different as every industry is endowed with variable resources and operating
in different market dynamics.

A typical technology management system can be depicted as followed:

Industries must develop a strategic plan for technological development parallel to its
organizational goal. For example, if an industry is aimed to emphasize in productivity they
should target to develop the specific components that are associated with the improvement of
productivity. Whereas industries looking for product diversity must introduce technology
components that is associated with bringing in new features in the products mix.

The advantage of having a dedicated team or committee for technology management is that they
can do independent research or analysis in order to implement the plan. In developed countries
industry throws problems or development schemes to the universities and institutes where
academicians develop solutions and provide it to the industry. In our country as there is no such
practice, technology or technology parts are to be sourced from outside. This transfer of
technology requires a comprehensive planning, research and action.

Successful technology transfer means that it is necessary to a broad view of “Technology” to

mean not only machines and equipment, but also the skills, abilities, knowledge, systems and
processes necessary to make things happen. Thus technologies are meant to be total systems that
include know-how, procedures, goods and services, as well as organizational and operational
measures.

A technology transfer is, in reality, a structural process of learning. The key components of a
transfer can be identified as knowledge derived from real-world experience together with human
expertise capable of transforming that knowledge into action. Successful technology transfer
requires inputs such as coordination between technology developers and users; a facilitative
environment that is supportive of entrepreneurship; and networks and collaborations that provide
referral links for information, finance and other pertinent resources.

Conclusion

The spectacular growth of textile and RMG sector in Bangladesh in recent years has dramatically
changed the landscape of export composition of the country. But the industry is facing heavy
competition and problems associated with enforcement of compliance laws and productivity
issues. Basically Textile field is combined with various applied technology and now in
Bangladesh this sector needs technological up-gradation to match with the global pace and
mitigate environmental hazards. Technological up-gradation could be done by enhancing the
development, adaptation, diffusion and transfer of technologies, including new and innovative
technologies. For that there is no way but to adopt appropriate technology management in the
textile and RMG industry.